


A Split Heart

by Miss_Von_Cheese



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, M/M, Misunderstandings, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-24
Updated: 2013-12-24
Packaged: 2018-01-05 22:30:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1099332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_Von_Cheese/pseuds/Miss_Von_Cheese
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Phil Coulson's heart was stabbed, but none of the persons he loves want to break it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Split Heart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CeliaEquus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CeliaEquus/gifts).



> This silly little ficlet is a present for Celiaequus. I'll add more tags later, I just don't want to spoil it for her before she reads it. Merry Christmas, dear! :) (Ps: Sorry it's unbetaed, I wanted you to be the first to read it.)

Steve was walking down the streets a little too slowly, afraid of the talk he was about to have. Probably one of the most difficult talks of his life. He wasn’t good with words, with love and with women so all three at the same time? It was going to be a train wreck, according to his predictions. 

Steve popped his collar up to protect his cheeks and nose against the cold winter weather he still didn't like and shoved his hands in his pockets. This December was especially cold. He saw the small diner, the only one still open at this time of the night and the brave Captain America felt his heart pound harder in his chest. He had beaten aliens and evil monsters, villains he couldn’t have imagined as a kid and yet, the Cavalry was about to be his most terrifying opponent. So terrifying that Steve had already decided to give up, surrender, he would let her win, there was nothing he could do against her. 

He got closer and closer, saw her at a table behind the window; she was having hot cocoa and a slice of raspberry pie that left red spots at the corner of her lips, making her look even more like a dangerous predator. Steve swallowed heavily and pushed the door. The diner was almost empty. He shrugged off his coat and placed it in front of her as Melinda gestured towards the empty chair.

“Please, sit down. Do you want something? It’s on me,” she invited with her usual unreadable voice. Steve licked his bottom lip, sat and looked at the menu in silence for a while before blurting “Apple pie, pl… please” to the waitress. He didn’t dare to look up, even the way May held her spoon was impressive. Every move she made was controlled, a machine made to kill. And he couldn’t lie, he had thought about this possibility, about her killing him. She was a good woman, right? But with SHIELD personal, you never really know… 

They both remained silent until the apple pie was served and Melinda’s mug refilled. Steve let out a loud sigh, daring to look slightly up but when he realized it made him stare at her breasts, he quickly looked at her face. She didn’t seem hostile but with her, you never really know either.

“So…” she started.

“So…” Steve sighed in reply.

Five long minutes went by and the pie was getting cold in his plate. Steve desperately tried to find a way to start the conversation. He frowned and took a deep breath, hesitated, shut his mouth, shook his head, scratched his forehead, licked his lips. But not a word came out. After a while, Melinda dipped her finger in the bright red sauce in her plate and sucked it. Then with a soft sigh of disappointment she smiled politely.

“I think he should be with you.”

Steve blinked, looked at her incredulously. This wasn’t the answer he expected at all. He scrunched his face in confusion.

“Uh… I'm sorry? What...?” he bloated.

“I think he should be with you,” May stated calmly. “He has been in love with you for decades, you’re his childhood hero, his teenage crush. He’s always been so fond of you… he should be with you, you’re the one he dreamed of his whole life.”

Steve was a bit stunned, he shook his head, confused. They clearly hadn't reached the same conclusions at all!

“I… no, no he should be with you, Ma’am. I know him, I know the way he looks at you, how miserable he is when he hasn’t seen you in a while. He talks about you like you’re everything to him, his mother, his sister, his favorite partner. He admires you from afar and it’s love, true love.”

Melinda looked down for a second, visibly touched. “I know that, but does he really love me more than he loves you? I don’t think so, he’s been in love with you since way before I met him. You’re his role model, his idol. You mean so much to him.”

Her words were even more painful now that Steve had taken his decision. Of course, Phil loved him but there was no way to know what was meant to be.

“I know, he’s my number one fan and if it were just for me, I would be his lover, his partner, I would. Because I love him more than myself,” Steve confessed with a soft blush. “But I know what he feels for you and I can’t ignore that. Just as I can’t ignore the fact that I might die on a mission and leave him alone…”

“I could too,” Melinda interrupted. “But since you’re much stronger, there are more risks for me to die than you.”

“Yes, but if he were with you… you would grow old together, you would age at the same rhythm, you already have the same age. He wouldn’t have to go through the embarrassment of seeing a man who looks much younger than him but still can’t use a cellphone properly.” 

The more he talked, the more it pained him having to reject Phil like this. But he knew that Phil’s poor heart was torn between them both and he had to make the right call, clearly, Melinda was the most reasonable option. 

“You could support him when I can’t anymore,” Melinda replied. “You could stay strong when I’ll get old and weaker. And I see him Steve, I see how he looks at you like a teenager in love, he’s stuck on you. He admires your every move and he loves the man behind the shield. When we’re on a mission away from you, he thinks about you, I see it. He is nothing without you. He wouldn’t have become the man he is now if it weren’t for you. He died for an idea, it’s because of you that he believed in heroes. Steve… you are the love of his life, not just Captain America.”

Steve let out a trembling sigh and placed his head in his hands.

“Listen, agent May I’m…”

“Melinda, please.”

“Melinda,” Steve dared to call her as she didn’t seem so terrible after all. “I see no way out, I don’t know what to do. It has never happened to me before. He loves both of us, it’s obvious, and I would love to keep him for me but I know that without you he would be miserable. And if making him happy means letting him go then I won’t hold him back. I’d rather pretend I’m not interested and see him in a happy relationship with you than jealously keep him and encourage his sadness. I can’t do this to him, I love him too much.”

May finished sipping her cocoa and wiped her upper lip. “This is a very simple equation,” she explained. “If Phil comes with me, he and you will be unhappy. If he goes with you, he and I will be unhappy. Either way one of us will be miserable, and Phil even more.”

Steve felt his breath catch in his throat and he swallowed a lump, tears in his eyes. What had he done to deserve this? He loved Phil, he would have sacrificed everything for him, he would have done anything, Phil would just have to give his will and Steve would have fulfilled it. Anything as long as the most lovable man on Earth could be happy. And now despite all his powers, his strength, his stamina, Captain America was helpless. 

After a few minutes of a deep, sad and awkward silence Melinda got up, apparently ready to make a decision. “I see only one way…”

Steve saw her lean forward and before he could even back up, her lips were on his, soft and firm, tender and commanding. Steve almost fell back on his chair, his arms fluttering as he tried to escape her grip. When she ended the not so unpleasant but definitely shocking kiss, Steve coughed and panted.

“What are you doing? Is that your idea? The two of us?” he stammered in an outraged tone. “And leaving Phil alone, do you really think that’s the way to make him happy? I am sorry Ma’am but I’m afraid you’re clearly delusional and… and you should get a check-up and, you know, well…”

Melinda simply smirked and rolled her eyes at his innocence.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

Steve didn’t think it would work, he didn’t even think it was possible for it to work. Yet he had to admit after a month that it was the best idea someone ever had. Phil was curled up against him, he slept with the cutest smile on his face, as if he couldn’t be happier. Beside him Melinda was still awake, she gently caressed his back and looked at Steve with a knowing smile. There was only one way Phil Coulson could be this happy and they had both taken the right decision. He loved to sleep between them and come back home to find them, he was happy to cook for them and argue about the movie they would watch; they even went on dates together, they danced and walked in parks, they went to the gym and shared hot-dogs at baseball games. 

Steve and Melinda were getting closer too, sometimes when Phil was on a mission without them they worked on their relationship, their intimacy, to make sure that their strange threesome would always work. They texted Phil really dirty pictures of what they did without him then they talked about the flustered face he probably tried to hide at work. And when they made love to him together, as a team, Melinda kissing the scar on his chest and Steve the one on his back, Phil had tears in his eyes as he murmured he was the luckiest man ever.


End file.
